Mrs McDougal goes gate-to-wire to win G3 Noble Damsel

ELMONT, N.Y. - Mrs McDougal started strong and held off all challengers in the seven-horse field for a gate-to-wire victory in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Noble Damsel for fillies and mares at Belmont Park.

Breaking from post 5 under Irad Ortiz, Jr., the Chad Brown-trained daughter of Medaglia d'Oro set fractions of 24.42, 48.64 and 1:12.27 before holding off stablemate Zindaya in the stretch to win by two lengths. She completed the mile on the Widener turf in 1:34.99 for her second career stakes win and first since the 2015 Grade 2 Lake George.

Churchill Downs Stakes Recap & Quotes

MINES AND MAGIC WINS SATURDAY NIGHT’S $100,000 DOGWOOD;
ARABIAN HORSE OF THE YEAR PADDYS DAY ROLLS IN PRESIDENT OF UAE CUP

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016) – G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s homebred Mines and Magic muscled her way through an opening at the top of the stretch to grab the lead with three-sixteenths of a mile to run and held off a late charge by Wonderment to win Saturday night’s 41st running of the $100,000 Dogwood Stakes Presented by GE Appliances (listed) at Churchill Downs by three-quarters of a length.

Churchill Downs Stakes Advance

EMMZY ATTEMPTS TO LAND FIRST STAKES WIN IN SATURDAY NIGHT’S DOGWOOD

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016) – Zayat Stables LLC’s Indiana Oaks (Grade II) runner-up Emmzy landed the outside post in a field of eight 3-year-old fillies as she attempts to land her first stakes victory in Saturday night’s 41st running of the $100,000 Dogwood Stakes Presented by GE Appliances (listed) – the featured seven-furlong event at Churchill Downs during a special Downs After Dark nighttime racing program.

Wednesday, September 21 2016

Mrs McDougal looks for another graded stakes win in G2 Noble Damsel

ELMONT, N.Y. - Mrs McDougal will look to add a second graded stakes victory to her ledger as she headlines a field of eight fillies and mares 3-years-old and up in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Noble Damsel at Belmont Park.

A 4-year-old, Mrs McDougal will gain class relief after back-to-back Grade 1 starts for trainer Chad Brown. The Medaglia d'Oro bay filly came in third in her last Belmont start, finishing 4 ¾-lengths behind winner Celestine and a length behind Recepta in the Longines Just a Game on June 11.

A family affair: On Leave makes the grade in G2 Sands Point

ELMONT, N.Y. - Stuart Janney III's homebred On Leave kept her 2016 record intact with a 2 ¾-length front-running victory against 3-year-old fillies on the turf in Saturday's featured race, the Grade 2, $500,000 Sands Point at Belmont Park.

On Leave broke alertly under jockey Jose Ortiz and led the field of seven through a tepid pace, covering the opening quarter-mile in 24.94 seconds and the half in 49.86. Pursued closest by Elysea's World and Diamond Fields, the gray daughter of War Front held her rivals at bay as the field turned for home, cutting the corner and drawing off in the stretch to complete the 1 1/8-mile route on the firm inner turf in 1:47.82.

Not This Time Dominates Iroquois

NOT THIS TIME DOMINATES IROQUOIS AT CHURCHILL DOWNS;
TAKES ‘ROAD TO THE DERBY’ LEAD, EARNS TRIP TO BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016) – Albaugh Family Stable’s homebred Not This Time, a half-brother to last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Liam’s Map, is the early points leader on the 2017 “Road to the Kentucky Derby” following a jaw-dropping 8 ¾-length demolition job under jockey Robby Albarado in the 35th running of the $150,000 Iroquois Presented by TwinSpires.com (Grade III) for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Friday, September 16 2016

Strong 2-Year-old Program Makes Gulfstream a Track for All Seasons

Three Rules, Cajun Delta Dawn, Gunnevera Lead Class of ‘16

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – A sensational day of racing on the Sept. 3 Florida Sire Stakes (FSS) program contributed significantly to the growing realization within the Thoroughbred industry that Gulfstream Park no longer has an offseason.

Tour de force performances by undefeated Three Rules in the $300,000 Affirmed and Cajun Delta Dawn in the $300,000 Susan’s Girl graced a program of six stakes that generated a handle of $8.101 million – an increase of more than 46 percent over betting on the second leg of FSS program in 2015.

Betting on the closing-day card of $3,660,588 brought all-sources handle to $22,540,761.22 for an average of $4,508,152 a day. Already a record after Sunday’s card, the final numbers reflect an increase of 33.92 over last year’s previous record total of $16,831,333.